A Restful Week[end] & Gingerbread Molasses Oatmeal

Happy New Year week! I don’t know about you, but I have some big plans for this week.

Last week I got sick and it knocked me on my butt for longer than I had expected. It pretty much hit Monday night and I was out of commission for a few days; though that didn’t stop my Christmas plans! It did, however, stop me from hitting the gym. I went Monday after work, but haven’t been back since. I know I needed to rest and not push my body; I know I needed to just let whatever was in my system play out and not stress about getting in a workout. And I’m sure my body was craving a full week of rest.. the last time I took this long off, it was for the honeymoon! So we took time off and we relaxed. A lot.

We made a roaring fire!

We baked some get-better quick chocolate chip cookies [I swear, they worked!] with a side of Goose Island Bourbon County Stout and Ratatouille.. the movie, not the dish 😉

We had a quiet Saturday and a nice lunch out.

And we made a special Sunday morning trip for fresh bread and breakfast. [I need to make some 5-grain porridge!]

I have thoroughly enjoyed all of my rest and relaxation. There was something just so nice about not having to set my alarm each night to make sure I get in my workout before our day’s plans. That said, it’s time to get back on track. But I’m lacking some serious motivation. I have my workout plan in place for the week and my big goal for the week with my diet is to chillax on the extra snacking. I think once I get back into the gym for the first time, I’ll get back into the swing of things, but I’m also hoping I can count on some extra push from all of you! Commit to 30 minutes of fitness each day this week with me, will ya? Let’s start off 2015 on the right foot!

And start your day off on the right foot too; don’t forget to eat breakfast everyday. Need a new oatmeal recipe? This one uses my favorite flavors of the season and is packed with protein and fiber.

Gingerbread Molasses Oatmeal

Serves 1

Ingredients
– 1/2 banana; mashed
– 1/3 cup almond milk [I love Califia Farms Coconut Almond Milk]
– 1/3 cup water
– 1 tsp ground cinnamon
– 1/4 tsp ground ginger
– 1/8 tsp ground allspice
– 1 tsp blackstrap molasses
– 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
– 5 egg whites

Direction
Place a small pot over medium high heat and add the mashed banana, almond milk, water, and spices. Bring to a boil, stir in the oats, and lower the heat to medium low. Allow the oats to cook for a few minutes until they begin to thicken up. Add the egg whites and stir continuously so the whites to set.

When the oats setup to the thickness that you like, about another 5-7 minutes, remove from heat and scoop into a bowl. Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy! I topped mine with a sprinkle of sea salt, golden raisins, candied ginger, and coconut flakes.

Nutritional Information
Per bowl of oatmeal without toppings

278 Calories / 4g Fat / 42g Carbs / 9g Fiber / 13g Sugar / 22g Protein

Looking for some more #MeatlessMonday inspiration? Check out Tina’s weekly link up!

Don’t forget a successful week also comes from a bit of planning. I like to have a set plan for our dinners, not only to know what’s on the menu each night, but it also helps to save money at the store so we don’t just pick up random items. We also have a bunch of leftovers from last week/weekend cooking so we’ll be taking full advantage of that this week too!

Weekly Meal Plan

Sunday – Moroccan chicken stew with rice pilaf [Nathan] & zucchini noodles [me]
Monday – Leftovers
Tuesday – Turkey bolognese with zucchini noodles
Wednesday – NYE!
Thursday – Leftovers
Friday – Out!
Saturday – Leftovers

Alrighty, friends. Let’s do this thing! I’ll be posting my workings on Instagram all week.. feel free to check up on me and call me out if I miss my 30 minutes 😉

Food for Thought

How do you keep yourself accountable?
Will you be joining me to hit 30 minutes of activity everyday this week?

What I Ate Wednesday #113: Back to Normal

How many times have you heard the word “detox” over the past week? Every time the holidays come around, everyone scrambles to find the best ways to not gain weight and not over-indulge. And when we all give in to the holiday treats, we all want the quick-fix to lose the bloat and get back to where we were pre-holiday, right? Personally, I’m not one to say no to pumpkin roll and peanut butter cups.

I’m also not a fan of detoxing. In theory, the idea of cutting out all of the sugar, alcohol, and excess snacking sounds like a good idea. But when I go from all to nothing, I’m not the most fun person to be around. [Don’t ask Nathan.] I prefer to just go back to my regular way of eating.

[Breakfast]

How could I possibly give up my most favorite breakfast?

[Lunch]

I’ve been going salad bar crazy! This is an old picture, but just imagine all of the delicious salad bar toppings you could possibly get from Whole Foods, Wegmans, etc. It’s the best.

[Dinner]

Nice, light dinners. The other night I made feta chicken, Israeli couscous salad, and a green salad. Last night we went to dinner at a new Mediterranean place that was setup like a Chipotle-style way of ordering. I loaded up on all the veggies and the delicious chicken shawarma, hummus, and baba ghanoush.

[Snacks]
Don’t be fooled by the pictures above. Along with my healthy bars that I’ve been snacking on, I’ve also been popping into the fridge to grab some bites of leftover sausage stuffing, all of the squash and sweet potato, and there have been many spoon dips into the almond butter jar! Obviously, I could be stuffing my face with worse food but there has still been a bit more snacking than a normal day.

So it may not be totally back to normal, but we’re getting there! There’s no quick fix for anything so rather than torturing myself [and everyone around me] with food I don’t want, I’d much rather enjoy what I’m eating and take my good old time.

Food for Thought

Are you a detoxer or do you just got back to your norm?

What I Ate Wednesday #106: The Unpictured

We’ve all read it before—things are not always what they appear to be. So many times we read blog posts or see pictures on instagram and get a peek into someone’s daily life; what their workouts look like, what their meals look like. It can be pretty easy to fall into the dreaded comparison trap. What we don’t always remember when reading these posts is that you don’t necessarily see every little piece.

[Pre-Workout]

I’m loving my Skoop superfood blueberry bites and will absolutely be making more when these run out.
Not Pictured: A carrot cake energy bite. I like a little variety in my morning bites!

[Breakfast]

My nut butters are running pretty low and I have a little packet of coconut butter that I’ve been saving. I forgot how delicious it is! Not to mention, nice to add a different flavor in there.
Not Pictured: A second cup of coffee. Stevia and coconut almond milk are my favorite mix-ins.

[Lunch]

A quick throw-together break room lunch—mixed greens, shredded carrots, cucumber, tomato, red pepper, and avocado with orange rosemary dressing.
Not Pictured: The protein—a crispy quinoa burger on the side—had to keep it that way so I could warm it up! Also, a dark chocolate covered pretzel. Sweet and salty after lunch is necessary.

[Afternoon Snack]

I was starved by the time I got home so I whipped up a pumpkin protein mug cake, topped with some Old Fashioned Crunchy.
Not Pictured: The pumpkin ravioli, chocolate coconut almond, and coffee samples from Trader Joe’s. Is it possible to go into that store and not pick up the samples?! Oh, and the chocolate coconut almonds are ridiculously delicious. I also snacked on a couple grapes and some of Monday night’s dinner. What? Girl’s gotta eat!

[Dinner]

Martha Stewart did me right! Nathan’s plate was much prettier than mine because he had his tandoori-style turkey burgers in a pita, as suggested.
Not Pictured: An extra potato wedge and ketchup. I usually tend to snack a bit while I’m cooking dinner, but I think my extra snacks did the trick!

[Evening Snack]

This one pretty much sums it up. Apples and peanut butter are just the best.

It’s a good thing you’re not just going by my instagram, huh? You might have thought I only had oatmeal and a turkey burger salad yesterday 😉

Food for Thought

Do you ever fall into a comparison trap, whether it’s with workouts, physique, food, or anything else?

What I Ate Wednesday #105: Nut Butter All Day!

It should come as no surprise that we currently have 5 open jars of nut butters in the house. That said, they’re all dwindling because I can never decide which one I want and I never want to finish a jar. Such problems, right? Most days I usually have 4 of the 5 nut butters; I’d say that’s a good day!

The health benefits of nuts, including peanuts [technically a legume], are undeniable. Aside from just being known for healthy fats, they also contain a number of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.

[Pre-Workout]

I wasn’t even counting my Skoop blueberry bite, but this does have some PB&Co. Bees Knees in it. Peanuts are higher in protein than most nuts and are a heart-healthy food due to the mono-unsaturated fatty acids that can help to lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol.

[Breakfast]

You all know how much I love my melty nut butters on my oatmeal. This bowl has a mixture of peanut butter, coconut cashew butter, and protein almond butter. Almonds are a fiber-rich nut which, along with the healthy fats, helps you stay full. And a recent study funded by the Almond Board of California has shown that these nuts can even raise the levels of good bacteria in your system for a healthy gut!

[Lunch]

I swapped out my healthy fats at lunch for a little avocado on my snack plate. As for the tuna, I mix in some ketchup and relish.. is that strange? I’ve put ketchup in tuna my whole life so I don’t even know. Ha!

[Afternoon Snack]

Soon after my lunch, I had a few slices of freshly roasted sweet potato with more coconut cashew butter. This was pretty much the best combo all day! Cashews are a great source of iron—helps to prevent anemia—, zinc—for immune health and vision—, and magnesium—to help improve memory. Crunch on some cashews so you can remember all of this 😉

[Dinner]

Skipped the nut butter in dinner again, but there’s a sprinkling of peanuts on top! I filled my bowl up with tons of broccoli and it hit the spot. Nice and light but super filling.

[Evening Snack]
Sliced up an apple with some more peanut butter. I just can’t get enough!

Nut butters are something I always have to use measuring spoons for, otherwise I’d go crazy! So while it may look and sound like I’m eating a ton of nut butter, I’m actually limiting it to about 2-3 tablespoons per day. You bet your butt I could eat more [like a jar per day!] but there is such a thing as going overboard on healthy food too 😉

Food for Thought

What’s your favorite nut?
Do you measure out your nut butter or just go for it?

Sources: 29 Amazing Benefits Of Peanuts For Skin, Hair And Health & Why You Should Go Nuts for Nuts

What I Ate Wednesday #103: Mostly Recyclables

I’ve been slacking. But I’m blaming my phone. It’s time for a new phone for sure and I’ve been keeping it plugged in pretty much all the time. That said, it’s not in always in my hand to take quick pictures of my food so today’s WIAW is [almost] all about the recycled pictures. Thank goodness I eat so much of the same food all the time, right?

Monday was another flip day at Athleta so that meant another early morning. I didn’t get my workout in at the gym, but with all of the running around we do at the store and lugging boxes of new merchandise, I think it’s safe to say I did, in fact, get a workout in for the day!

<!–
[Pre-Workout]

I have a new bite recipe to share! It’ll be up later this week but for now, I’m trying not to eat the whole container. Often times, pre-workout snacks focus more on healthy fats and carbs to fuel the workout so when I’m making my bites, I try to stick with a coconut/peanut flour and peanut butter base. Makes for a delicious and creamy treat! –>

[Breakfast]

Protein rocks! <– [Best commercial ever.] But for real, this is my favorite breakfast, workout or not. It has the perfect balance of protein, carbs, and fat for refueling and keeps me full for hours. It was just what I needed.. especially piping hot at 5:30 am.

[Morning Snack]

Source

After all of my running around, I scarfed down a Salted Caramel ThinkThin bar. I’ve always loved ThinkThin but this new bar is by far my favorite. It’s basically like a little treat!

[Lunch]

Big ass salad, anyone? I pretty much throw the contents of my fridge on top of whatever greens we have and call it lunch. They mostly end up looking like this because wouldn’t it be the worst to have a salad without avocado?! I always make sure to have 4-6 oz of protein and some healthy fats with my 10 tons of veggies.

[Afternoon Snack]

I’m so bad about drinking water when I’m at work. Because I’m running around, I can’t have my water bottle with me all the time. I got home and chugged some homemade kombucha that I’ve been rationing out until my next batch is ready. Thankfully, we’re all a go for the second fermentation and in just a few more days I’ll have another gallon’s worth!

[Dinner]

Something new! Nathan’s been requesting buffalo chicken and I figured roasted broccoli and okra would compliment nicely. I’d never made okra before but decided to give it a shot. I ended up eating pretty much the whole batch so I’d call it a success.. for me, at least.

[Evening Snack]

Carbs and fats [clearly in nut butter form] are easily my faves so I think it’s the perfect way to end the night. I’m really digging the chunky peanut butter right now too!

And even though this is from last night, not Monday, I thought I’d share anyway..

because how can I keep my homemade peanut butter cups all to myself? 😉

Food for Thought

Are you a food creature of habit or do you switch it up regularly?

What I Ate Wednesday #102: Bubbly

I cannot believe the my Orioles clinched the AL East last night and we weren’t there for it.

Top of the 9th, 2 outs. I stopped cooking dinner so I could watch the final out. As soon as the O’s got that out, Nathan and I popped the bubbly. Hey, they were doing it at the stadium so we needed to participate too, right?!

I also sent a text to my dad. He’s been my Orioles partner-in-crime my whole life and with all of the terrible games we’ve been to over the years, I was so freaking bummed to not be able to celebrate with him. We so would have been there [Nathan was cursing California the rest of the night because of it!] and quite possibly would have gone into work late today. Like we say though, you should always have a bottle of bubbly in the fridge.. you never know when you’ll need it! Also, don’t be jealous of our extra large champagne flutes 😉

Now back to the rest of the food.. which is actually from Monday. I’m still in the “eat all the food” mindset, possibly because I most likely need more sleep. Do you get super hungry when you’re lacking rest? I know I definitely do!

[Pre-Workout]
I’ve been really rationing my coconut vanilla latte bites. I don’t want them to end [even though I can always make more..] but sadly my stash is just about depleted. I’m thinking I’ll need to create a new bite recipe soon though!

[Breakfast]

Because clearly we can never get enough oatmeal and nut butters. And repping the Orioles every morning..

[Morning Snack]

You know when it’s just about lunch time but you’re not hungry enough for lunch? Boom! Greek yogurt saves the day. And this stuff fo realz tastes like Pina Colada! That said, I’m not usually one for the flavored yogurts anymore, but darn their fun limited edition packaging.. gets me every time!

[Lunch]

By the time I got home from work, I was ravenous! I’m surprised I actually made myself a full salad instead of just eating a head of lettuce with veggies on the side. Ha! I had just enough time to shove this beauty in my face before heading to another meeting.

[Dinner]

Speaking of saving the day, that Costco rotisserie chicken was definitely the right plan for a day that I was running around. I just popped it in the oven, chopped my brussels, and with a tiny amount of effort, dinner was ready! I tossed the brussels with maple syrup, sriracha, and a little smoked paprika. They were pretty delicious but I have to admit, I’m definitely one for regular old EVOO + S&P brussels. Some ketchup made it’s way onto my plate too.. still going strong!

[Dessert]

I recently got a jar of Peanut Butter & Co’s Old Fashioned Crunchy and I just. can’t. stop. It’s so good! This plate was topped off with a carrot cake energy bite. I like to sandwich my day’s eats with some bites 😉

Food for Thought

What’s your favorite condiment or spread at the moment? [Nut butters are always at the top of my list!]
What’s your most convenient go-to dinner?

What I Ate Wednesday #93: Feels So Good

I used to be in the school of thought that a cleanse of sorts, maybe a 5- or 7-day slim down, was the way to go after an extended period of over-indulgence. It worked out for me for a while but eventually it felt like I was forcing myself to eat things I didn’t want for faster results. Not to mention, I’d often end up hungry at the end of the day. That 5-day slim down quickly turned into 2 days and me feeling frustrated with myself.

These days, things are a little different. I’ve realized that because I do eat healthy 80-90% of the time, just going back to my regular eats is more than enough to get me feeling back to normal. Not to mention I’m actually feeling satisfied by eating what I want. Go figure..

[Breakfast]

I typically go back and forth between my favorite protein oats with nut butters and some variation on protein pancakes. I’m currently on an oatmeal kick and I’m loving it.

[Morning Snack]
I used to be pretty routine with my snacks and almost never missed an extra bite to eat in the morning. Over the past few months, I’ve noticed I haven’t been as hungry for a morning snack. I’m not sure if it’s because I tend to eat breakfast a little bit later now or my decrease in cardio. Yesterday, however, I needed more food!

My PB&J yogurt parfait hit the spot. The blueberries here have been absolutely outrageous lately so I couldn’t pass em up. And the Blue Diamond blueberry almonds went surprisingly well with this too!

[Lunch]
I must have had a serious lack of vegetables over the past week or 2 because I’ve been craving salads like nobody’s business! People preach the importance of trusting and listening to your body; my veggie cravings really show the truth in that. I’m not forcing myself to eat a salad but it’s just so satisfying. Your body knows best!

The stars of this BAS [big ass salad] were definitely the roasted sweet potato and baked almond tofu. Again, the nut butters in every meal. No surprise here!

[Afternoon Snack]
When I was working a 9-5, my afternoon snacks would always be a bar of some sort; Think Thin, KIND, etc. Now that I have some afternoons at home, I like to take advantage of the opportunity to whip something up and leave the more processed foods for when I need the convenience.

My very favorite peanut butter mug cake was calling but we have the perfect number of eggs left for tomorrow’s breakfast [seriously, 18 eggs in 3 days over here!] so I made it vegan with a flax egg. The texture was a little different but just as wonderful! A little extra peanut butter and a crumbled [stale] dark chocolate pretzel never hurt anyone.

[Dinner]
Dinners this week are veggie- and lean protein chicken-heavy. I told Nathan to expect light meals all week so we can get ourselves back to normal. He’s been a good sport and we’ve both been happy to reap the benefits of light, healthy, home-cooked meals.

His request: dry-braised green beans. Lots of chicken for both of us and sauteed bok choy for me too. Quite possibly the healthiest Chinese dish ever ha!

[Evening Snack]
Often I go for an apple at night. I like the crunch, the little bit of sweetness, and if I haven’t quite had enough nut butter throughout the day, I’ll slice up my apple for dipping. Sometimes, however, I’m craving something a little bit more indulgent. The best desserts are those that taste indulgent but aren’t, right? Enter Forte Gelato..

This protein gelato has only 160 calories and 2.5g fat, is packed with 15g protein, and most importantly is SO delicious! Of the 4 flavors—vanilla, chocolate, ginger, and espresso—I’d have to say my top 2 are ginger and espresso. The ginger is similar to the vanilla but which a little extra spiciness and the espresso is similar to the chocolate but with an espresso punch.

Aside from the creamy texture and simple, clean flavors, I really appreciate the short ingredient list. It’s not something you’d expect from a product like this! If you’re an gelato/froyo/ice cream fan like I am, I’d definitely recommend getting yourself a delivery soon!

After just 3 days of getting my eating back to normal, I’m already feeling so much better [you know, despite the stomach bug..] It just goes to show how much food truly is fuel and can effect they way you feel. Besides, how many cleanses let you eat gelato? 😉

Food for Thought

Are you a cleanser or do you prefer to go back to your regular eats to feel normal again?
Have you or would you try a protein gelato?

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary shipment of Forte Gelato. All thoughts and opinions of the product are my own.

A Marvelous Weekend

Don’t forget to enter my Chobani giveaway!

I’m definitely sad to see my 4-day weekend go, but it ended on the right note. This past weekend was just what I needed!

After running a few errands on Saturday, we decided to hit up the movie theater to see This Is The End but not before a little lunch. Nathan has been raving about porchetta since we went to Italy so I did a little googling and found Isabella’s in Little Italy. Everything I read about this place from the amazing porchetta sandwich, to the tiny area to eat [all of 4 tables], to the super friendly service was on point. And while the porchetta sandwich wasn’t the same as Italy, Nathan was still quite pleased. I, of course, went for the Greek Salad with grilled chicken and it was awesome! The homemade feta was my favorite part.

Greek salad with grilled chicken and homemade feta

Off to the movies! One of my favorite things about our theater downtown is that they have a full bar. It comes in handy when you go to see a movie like This Is The End.. not recommended. But at least it got us out of the house and out of the sun on a scorcher of a day! And I had a super tasty cocktail. Check out that top-notch pic! 😉

St. Germain Elderflower Liquer, blueberries, strawberries, white cranberry juice, and soda water

After a quick run to Whole Foods for sparkling water and figs [the essentials], we vegged at home and watched The Amazing Spiderman on demand. Another winner.. though, it was definitely better than the movie that we paid for! We got lazy and I whipped up a little egg white scramble for dinner which turned out to be pretty awesome! Awesome enough that I repeated it yesterday for lunch.

Egg whites, broccoli, corn, kale, cheddar cheese, avocado, tomatillo salsa, and a little sriracha

Sunday ended up being a bit of later start for us.. I got up and did one of my favorite Tone It Up cardio routines, Bikini Cardio. We were going to head to the farmers’ market, but I needed some food in my belly so I chowed down on my go-to breakfast—oats with egg whites & TVP, topped with Sunbutter, coconut peanut spread, and my homemade pumpkin seed butter.

By the time we got ourselves together to head out, it was 10:30. On our walk over, we decided it was hot, late [for the market], and there would be tons of people there, so we detoured over to Teavolve. Nathan grabbed a bite to eat and I got a delicious matcha green tea smoothie. I had only tried it once before, but it was just as marvelous as I remembered. Matcha powder is so pricey though, I just can’t bring myself to bite the bullet and get some to have at home.

We found ourselves around the corner from Whole Foods again, so we ran in to pick up a few things for some serious food prep when we got home, including these gorgeous beets!

How cool are these beets?!

We got down to business and Nathan was cooking up a storm!

He’s really been jonesing for some good Italian food like we had on the honeymoon, so he made a Tuscan-style ragu. It’s delicious and perfect to serve over pasta, quinoa, salad.. anything really! He also grilled up a flank steak which is going to be great  for sandwiches and salads all week. I roasted my beets which, unfortunately, were not as gorgeous as they were raw. I also made some easy kimchi that I found from Brittany [can’t wait to taste it later this week!], Israeli salad [cucumber, tomato, red onion, lemon, EVOO, & dill], grilled buffalo tofu for my salads, and for dinner I grilled some chicken with buffalo sauce.. plenty of leftovers there too.

We’re set for the week! Lunches and dinners are going to be so quick and easy. It really does wonders to set aside a few hours on Sunday to cook up some food for the week. Hope you have a marvelous Monday!

Food for Thought

Did you do any food prep over the weekend?

Are there any foods that you love but you won’t buy because of the price tag?

What I Ate Wednesday #43: Bachelorette Style

Whoa.. it’s definitely been too long! The past few weeks have been such a whirlwind and with the wedding in 11 days [holy crap!], I don’t see anything slowing down any time soon. My most recent whirlwind kicked off with my bachelorette party in New York City. It was so much fun and completely exhausting. But of course, I dove into some tasty treats while we were there!

Saturday

[Breakfast]
Protein oats and coffee. I was in for a long day on Saturday and I knew I was going to need something substantial to get me through all of the drinking excitement.. which promptly started at 9am with mimosas on the bus!

[Lunch]
I had planned to go to Green Symphony which was right around the corner from the theater where we were going to see Avenue Q [so funny!]. Fresh juices and smoothies, salads, wraps, sandwiches.. what could be bad? Except for the place being closed..

Sushi it is! And a large cocktail. I had no complaints on the change of plans!

[Post-Show Pit Stop]
Baked by Melissa mini cupcakes. These itty bitty bite-sized cupcakes were so cute and SO delicious! I got French Toast, Chocolate Chip Pancakes, and Peanut Butter Cup [obviously].. 3 for me and 3 for Nathan. His barely made it home to him 😉

[Dinner]
Rosa Mexicano. Their guacamole, made table-side, is incredible. I couldn’t get enough of it! The skinny margaritas and grilled fish were fantastic also. The fish came with a creamy corn dish and beans on the side and some homemade corn tortillas. I was a happy camper!

Sunday

The next morning, a few of us woke up bright and early [like 6:30am early!] for a SoulCycle class. I had to.. I was in New York and I’ve heard so many awesome things about SoulCycle that I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity! It was totally worth the crack-of-dawn wake up call.

[Brunch]
Greensquare Tavern. I highly recommend this place! They have a la carte dishes, but most of us went for the pre fixe.. an entree, unlimited coffee, and 2 drinks of your choice [mimosa, bloody mary, or screwdriver]. It also comes with a bread/muffin basket which was promptly devoured. I’m talking seconds!

I ordered the Eggs Provençale and 2 mimosas.. it totally hit the spot! I can’t say no to a poached egg.

It was such a great weekend and I’m so glad my friends could make the trip with me! [And also let me steal some.. or lots.. of their pictures!] 😉

Food for Thought

Have you been to NYC? What is your favorite place to eat?

What I Ate Wednesday #42: My Current Loves

When I suddenly realized that it was time for another edition of WIAW, I also realized that I have unfortunately not been doing a great job of taking pictures of my food and also of switching up what I’m eating. So because I’ve been eating so much of the same, I thought I’d share the favorites that continue to reoccur on my plate.

[Breakfast]
I’m on an oatmeal kick again and I just can’t shake it [not that I’m trying to..] Here’s my favorite recipe as of late..

– 2 egg whites
– 1/2 cup oats
– 1/2 cup lite coconut or almond milk
– 1/2 cup water
– 1/2 banana
– Cinnamon. All of it. I love cinnamon

Toppings
– 1 tbsp nut butters [I usually do 3 tsps of different nut butters!]
– Sprinkling of granola; my go-to right now is Michele’s Pistachio Lemon.. it’s a seasonal flavor and SO good!

Cook the egg whites separately with a sprinkle of cinnamon and set aside. Add milk, water, banana, and cinnamon to the pot and mash the banana until it melts in. Add oats and bring to a boil, then simmer until almost cooked through. Add egg whites back in and combine. Pour into a bowl and top with nut butter, granola, and a little more cinnamon. I told you, I love cinnamon!

[Lunch]
Spinach and cabbage salads with tons of fresh veggies, turkey quinoa burger

, and the easiest guacamole in the world. I take 1/4 avocado and mash it up with whatever salsa I have on hand. Right now I’m using tomatillo salsa and it’s crazy good!

[Dinner]
We’ve been crazy busy lately [oh, weddings..] so dinners have been out a lot. Or just the usual roasted vegetables and whatever protein I can get my hands on!

[Snacks]
– Pink lady beet juice [out of old coconut oil jars.. it’s normal]
– Apples
– Yogurt [Chobani.. duh]
– KIND bars

Food for Thought

What are you current go-to foods or meals?